In the News

Wis. Bill Would Limit Abortion, Contraceptive Coverage

Wis. Bill Would Limit Abortion, Contraceptive Coverage

May 31, 2013 — The Wisconsin Assembly Health Committee on Wednesday heard from critics and supporters of a bill (AB 216) that would restrict health insurance coverage of abortion and contraception, the AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

The bill -- sponsored by state Rep. Andre Jacque (R) -- would prohibit taxpayer funding from being used to pay for abortion coverage in public employees' health insurance plans. The bill also would exempt some religious organizations and employers from a state law that requires employers to include contraceptive coverage in health plans, unless they are self insured.

Key Testimony

During the hearing, Nicole Safar, public policy director for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, noted that more than 90% of women use contraceptives. The cost of contraception could be burdensome to low-income women, she said.

Supporters of the bill argued that self insurance is not a viable alternative for many businesses because the cost is too great, it would result in reduced coverage and lead to higher premiums for employees (Wang, AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 5/29).

Video Round Up

An Interview with Justice Ginsburg on the State of Abortion Access

In a rare interview, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg tells MSNBC's Irin Carmon it is a "crying shame" that state abortion restrictions are making the procedure increasingly "[i]naccessible" to many low-income women. Watch the video

Datapoints

A Look at Abortion Coverage in the ACA's Marketplace Plans, Repro Health Report Card, More

This week's charts depict why abortion coverage is unavailable in many states' ACA marketplace plans for 2015. We also feature a national reproductive health report card and an interactive look at abortion restrictions in Missouri. Read more

At A Glance

"[Roe v. Wade] protects a woman's freedom to make her own choices about her body and her health, and reaffirms a fundamental American value: that government should not intrude in our most private and personal family matters."

— President Obama, commemorating the 42nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Read more